Outline of Topics Covered in Higher Level Math 5/6

• Polynomial functions
o Use Remainder Theorem & Factor Theorem
o Conjugate roots of polynomials
o Factor polynomials using graphing calculator
o Use polynomial long division
o Use synthetic substitution/division
• Sequences and series
o Identify sequences: arithmetic vs. geometric vs. other
o Develop the nth term
o Use sigma notation
o Convert between expanded form and sigma notation
o Sum finite arithmetic sequences
o Sum finite and infinite geometric series
• Proof by mathematical induction
o Write inductive proofs: show base case(s) ( P1, P2 ,...) , state inductive assumption
( Pk ) , develop inductive step ( Pk +1 ) , prove inductive step ( Pk ⇒ Pk +1 )
o Form conjectures to be proven by mathematical induction
• The Binomial Theorem
o Use sigma notation
o Expand ( a + b ) completely or develop specified terms in the expansion
n

o Find the coefficient for a specified term in the expansion

• Trigonometry
o Area of a triangle in terms of θ
o Use law of sines (including the ambiguous case) to solve triangles
o Use law of cosines to solve triangles
o Represent radian measure graphically on a circle with radius r
o Convert between degree and radian measure
o Calculate arc length and sector area
o Define and sketch the six trigonometric functions
o Develop, in the context of the unit circle, exact values of sine and cosine for
angles that are multiples of π / 6 and π / 4 , (reference right triangles)
o Find solutions for trigonometric equations: principal & secondary, general
forms and over a finite interval using the unit circle or sinusoidal graphs
o Prove & use negative angle, complementary angle & Pythagorean identities
o Prove trigonometric identities (including sum and difference of two angles,
double angle, half angle and compound angle identities)
o Given a ratio’s value (e.g: sinθ = k ), find values of other ratios without finding θ
o Use trigonometric identities and factorization to transform equations
o Work with graphs of trigonometric functions: domains, ranges, period length,
frequency, amplitude, vertical shift, horizontal (phase) shift
o Work with f ( x ) = a sin ( b ( x + c ) ) + d & f ( x ) = a cos ( b ( x + c ) ) + d
( )
o Work with inverse trigonometric functions sin−1 ( x ) , cos−1 ( x ) , tan−1 ( x ) , their
domains, ranges and graphs
• Complex numbers
o Use vectors as geometric representations for complex numbers and complex
number arithmetic
o Convert between rectangular ( a + bi ) and polar ( r ( cosθ + isinθ ) ) forms
o Calculate products and quotients in rectangular or polar forms.
o Prove DeMoivre’s Theorem by mathematical induction
o Use DeMoivre’s Theorem to find powers and roots of complex numbers
1 1
o Develop and use z n + n ≡ 2cos ( nθ ) & z n − n ≡ 2isin ( nθ )
z z
• Vectors
o Work with vectors in 2-space and 3-space
o Develop 2-space vectors as a linear combination of two base vectors given
their directions and magnitudes
o Work with components of vectors with respect to the standard basis (unit
vectors i, j,k )
o Use algebraic and geometric approaches to the following:
• Find the sum and difference of two vectors
• Multiplication by a scalar
• Calculate magnitude of a vector
• Find components for position and direction vectors
• Normalize a vector and connect to direction cosines and angles of
inclination to the axes
• Identify parallel and perpendicular vectors
o Compute the scalar product (dot product) of two vectors and find the angle
between two vectors
o Work with and convert between forms of equations for a line: vector,
parametric, Cartesian
o Distinguish between parallel, intersecting and skew lines
o Find the point of intersection of lines and the angle formed by intersecting lines
o Compute the vector product (cross product) of two vectors
o Geometric interpretation of v × w
o Work with and convert between forms of equations for a plane: parametric, normal
vector, Cartesian
o Find intersections of a line with a plane, of two planes and of three planes
o Find angles formed by a line and a plane, two planes
o Find distances in three dimensions between points, lines and planes
• Matrices and transformations
o Use the algebra of matrices: identity matrix, addition, subtraction,
multiplication, multiplication by a scalar
o Calculate determinants of square matrices (up to 3 × 3 ) (condition for singularity)
o Create 2 × 2 matrices representing linear transformations in 2-space:
rotations, reflections, dilations, shears
o Compose linear transformations
o Use row operations to solve 3 × 3 systems and know the conditions for a
unique solution, no solution and infinity of solutions.